JERRY HENKEL/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL | Canyon Springs junior guard Michael Thompson is back after leading the Pioneers in scoring last season.
POSTED: Wednesday November 25, 2009
Bishop Gorman
Canyon Springs
Centennial
Cheyenne
Cimarron-Memorial
Desert Oasis
Foothill
Las Vegas
Palo Verde
Shadow Ridge
When asked about his returning starters, Canyon Springs boys basketball coach Daryl Branham chuckled.
It’s not that his team doesn’t have any, it’s just that he’s not quite sure how to quantify the number.
All seven of his returning lettermen started at one time or another last season as the Pioneers battled inconsistency.
“We had so many different starting lineups last year because of inconsistency and being so young,” Branham said. “All of them started at one time.”
That can be either a strength or a weakness as Canyon Springs enters this season. If the team learned from last season’s 19-9 campaign, it could be poised for a strong showing. If the inconsistency remains, the Pioneers won’t live up to their potential.
“We’re looking for a lot more consistency,” Branham said. “I think we’re going to get it.”
Canyon Springs was on the cusp of being a power last season. Six of the team’s nine losses came by three points or fewer.
The Pioneers opened the season with three straight wins, including victories over state runner-up Palo Verde and Sunrise Region semifinalist Foothill.
After some ups and downs in the middle of the season, Canyon Springs won its final four regular-season games before losing to Liberty in the Sunrise quarterfinals.
“They were right there all year last year, but we just weren’t sure what day they were going to show up,” Branham said.
Branham said the team still is looking for senior leadership, and one player who could provide it is Adrian Snow, a 6-foot-6-inch forward in his third varsity season.
“I’ve been starting since my sophomore year, so I feel like my senior year it’s time for me to take over and play to my potential,” Snow said.
He’ll have plenty of help. Junior guard Michael Thompson was the team’s leading scorer last season, and senior Jeremy Alexander is another athletic wing scorer.
“We think we can go to state this year, because our team is looking pretty good,” Snow said. “We’ve got a lot of returning players, too, a lot of veterans.”
Canyon Springs figures to be as quick as any team in the area, and the Pioneers hope to use that to their advantage.
“I don’t think a lot of teams can run with us, because we’ve got a real quick team,” Snow said. “A lot of us can get down the court real fast. When we get down the court, I don’t think anybody can touch us.”
Branham said he expects Southeast League teams Foothill and Coronado to contend in the Sunrise along with Northeast League rivals Las Vegas and Desert Pines.
“Hopefully we’re going to be there to compete with them,” Branham said.
Defending state champion Bishop Gorman looks like the favorite in the Southwest League, with Palo Verde the team to beat in the Northwest.
First of all, it's MOJAVE. Emphasis is on the "J". Secondly, they lost to Western tonight. I thought we were supposed to expect "big things" out of your "MOHAVE RATTLERS"? Hahaha
MOHAVE RATTLERS!!!!!!!! EXPECTING BIG THINGS OUT OF RICKY WHITE THIS YEAR! KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN, YOU'LL SEE HIM ON THE COURT. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE'NT HEARD!!!!!!! PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TOO ALL!
MARQUES, ROYAL, CALEB,AND ANTHONY ALL SENIORS. BIG THINGS HAPPENING THIS YEAR. DON'T SLEEP ON THE RATTLERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AH AH
WHO? mojave? hahahahaha ive never heard of any of those players...hahahahahah.but im sure there really good ;]]]]]
YALL BET NOT SLEEP ON VEGAS THIS YEAR THEY MY B YOUNG BUT THEY HAVE ALOT OF POTIENTAL...
all you guys are talking about ok schools.
They have some good players.
But have yall forgot about the MOJAVE RATTLERS!!
They have some player's over their...... like( Royal jackson,Anthony Robb, Marques Strickland,Caleb Maxy,Rick white) and the list can keep going..
JUST KEEP SLEEPING ON THEM..
Canyon Springs has the best athletes in Vegas. Their problem is that Branham can't coach. Freddy Banks should be the coach. All the players want that even the parents do too.
Yeah, all Olekaibe can do is shoot...hes far from the best player in the city..gorman,palo,foothill and canyon springs are probably the favorites to win their respective divisions.
Eldorado will struggle this year. Mitrell Clark carried that team last year and their coach isn't very impressive. If he's as good as you think, let's see him make a run in the plaoffs again.
Olekaibe is good, but not the best in the city. He lacks a killer instinct that would set him apart from the other players in the city. He will lead the city in scoring because as Boyack always does, he will run 95% of the plays for his best player, and that means Olekaibe.
i agree..zach hafen is very overrated. He's a decent player at times. Can't really do much except shoot ok..can't even shoot that great. Sam johnson is not a wing first of all. He CAN'T shoot. He can jump very high, thats about it. Ira is the best player on Legacy, but that dumb coach doesn't let him play. Chris Perry is the same player he was in the 8th grade. Idk who this Snow kid even is, must be not that good. Kevin Olekaibe is the BEST player in the city. Im preedicting he's gonna average close to 30 or 35 points a game. I'm excited to see how the season goes. Oh and Ben Vozzolla is not that good. Really? san diego? really..maybe a JC. he averaged what 12 a game last year? thats realllllllly impressive ;) lets see how the season goes. Scrimmages start this week and games next..hmmmm interesting..
1st-if zach hafen would PLAY! he would be pretty good. 2nd-branham is HORRIBLE! PERIOD. snow can be really good BUT HIS ATTITUDE SUCKS. HE DOESNT RESPECT AUTHORITY! right now he's a 1 year junior college player AT BEST with his current attitude probs. dont agree?...just keep watching. ESPECIALLY when he gets taken out of games. 3rd- chris perry is OVERRATED! has been for at least 3 years. legacy could be scary but their coach SUCKS AS WELL! if they win it'll be in spite of him. arbor view could make some noise too. smooches!
eldorado will get it done again this year. they might be young, but all it takes is a great coach!
Branham will do what he's always done since he's been at CS: panic. He has great athletes and can't get it done.
sooo wat about chris perry from desertpines,
how is he?? how..
WHERE IS SAMUEL JOHNSON FROM LEGACY
HIS THE BEST WING OVER ON THE SIDE OF TOWN
Zach Hafen is very overrated
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